President Donald Trump said the United States will “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with South Korea, arguing the drills are costly and send an “inappropriate and hostile” signal.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the decision reflected his “very good relationship” with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un. He also pointed to South Korea’s recent decision not to join the United States in the denuclearisation of Iran.
Trump said the exercises are expensive, with much of the cost paid by the United States, and added that the planned training is “too late to cancel” as the two countries are due to begin their annual manoeuvres on Monday.
Neither Seoul nor Pyongyang issued a response to the comments.
Cost, Costliness And A Different Signal
Trump said the exercises were not only costly but also that they would communicate hostility. He said South Korea had declined an invitation for involvement in US-led denuclearisation efforts regarding Iran, adding that he had asked South Korean President if Seoul would like to join and that South Korea replied “No thanks”.
The announcement comes amid heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula following North Korea’s recent ballistic missile tests, which are banned under United Nations resolutions.
Ulchi Freedom Shield Planned Next Week
The reduction is taking place around the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, which was announced last week at a joint press conference by US and South Korean military leaders.
They said the 11-day drills would be similar in scale to previous years and would involve about 18,000 South Korean soldiers. US and South Korean officials also referenced North Korea’s deployment of troops to support Russia’s war against Ukraine.
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US military spokesperson Ryan Donald said the exercises are intended to account for that threat, referring to North Korean soldiers returning from the battlefield. He said about 28,500 American military personnel are stationed in South Korea.
On Friday, North Korea’s foreign ministry condemned the joint drills as “a rehearsal for an aggressive war”.
Triggered By Recent Missile Tests
The joint exercises are scheduled only days after South Korea, the United States and Japan detected a second North Korean missile test within a short period.
Pyongyang has expanded its nuclear and missile programmes since the collapse in 2019 of Kim’s high-profile diplomacy with Trump during the president’s first term in office. Kim became the first sitting US president to visit North Korea, when Trump travelled there seven years ago.
Trump’s remarks about South Korea also appeared to reflect frustration that Seoul has not made direct military or logistical contributions to US efforts related to the conflict in Iran. He has previously expressed dissatisfaction with other allies, including Japan, France and the United Kingdom, over what he described as reluctance to become involved.
Previous Changes To Exercises
Trump’s decision to cut back training is not unprecedented. The United States suspended the exercises entirely in 2018 during denuclearisation negotiations with Kim. The drills were scaled back again in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last week, South Korea’s president proposed talks with the northern neighbour on formally ending the war between the two countries, which remains technically active since an armistice signed in 1953.
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17 August 2026
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